Mail-bag-delivery apparatus.



G. W. HUTSLBR.

MAIL BAG DELIVERY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20,1908. 7

902,409, Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

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M IL BAG DELIVERY APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20,1903.

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Patented 0013.27, 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. HUTSLER, OF WILLIAMSPORT, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE TWENTY- FOURTHS TO HERMAN O. HEFFNER, FIVE TWENTY-FOURTHS TO GEORGE A. KERSOH- NER, AND FIVE TWENTY-FOURTHS TO CLARENCE P. O. RINKER, ALL OF MARTINS- BURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. HU'rsLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Villiamsport, in the county of Washington and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag-Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail bag catching and delivering apparatus, the object of the invention being to provide practical and reli* able means for delivering bags of mail matter at stations and also catching up similar bags of mail matter at stations, the transfer of the bags from the car to the station and vice versa being accomplished with ease while the train is in motion without injury to the bags or catching and delivering apparatus.

With the above general object in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :.Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating the apparatus used at a station and also that portion of the apparatus which is carried by the car. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the car body taken in line with the door opening, showing the apparatus carried by,

the car and also showing the stationary apparatus located at or near a railway station. Fig. 3 is a similar section through the car body showing the apparatus on the car in its operative position. Fig. 4 is an interior perspective of the car body adjacent to the door opening showing the skid and the operating means therefor. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the means for reversing the catcher arm. Fig. 6 is a plan View of that portion of the apparatus which is used at a station, showing also a portion of the car in section and illustrating the cooperation between the two portions of the apparatus. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the station apparatus as adapted for use in double track service. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the segregated parts by which the stretcher arm is connected to the supporting post.

The portion of the apparatus which is located at a station adjacent to one side of the track comprises a main supporting post 1 to which a ladder 2 is shown connected to facilitate the placing of a bag of mail matter Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 20, 1908.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Serial No. 422,302.

shown at 3 on the bag holder whichis substantially U-shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The bag holder comprises the oppositely arranged spring arms 4 having the oppositely bent extremities 5 on which the mail bag 3 is strung by placing the eyes or rings 6 at the opposite end of the mail bag over the ends of the arms4 as clearly shown. The arms 4 are united to a connecting bar 7 adapted to be slid up and down through a sleeve 8 on the projecting end of a swinging bracket arm 9 supported by the upper end of the post 1. The connecting bar 7 together with the sleeve 8 is provided with a plurality of holes 10 through which a pin is adapted to be inserted for sustaining the bag holder at the proper elevation for the bag 3 to be engaged by the catcher arm on the car, said catcher arm being shown at 11. The bracket arm 9 is provided at its opposite end with a collar 12 which turns on an upstanding pin 13 projecting above the top of the post 1 thus adapting the bag holder and its arm to swing horizontally. To limit the swinging movement of the arm 9 in opposite directions, said arm is provided with oppositelylocated shoulders 14 which come in contact with a stop 1 5 shown in the form of a pin in Fig. 1, the arrangement permitting the arm 9 to swing through an arc of approximately 180.

Connected pivotally to the post 1 is a stretcher arm 16 having its outer end upturned as shown at 17 and provided with a sleeve or tubular head 18 through which passes a catcher wire 19, the opposite ends of which are secured to posts 20 and 21 located about fifty feet more or less from the post 1 and at opposite sides of the latter as indicated in Fig. 6. When the arm 16 is folded upward as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the wire 19 is slack. When said arm is moved downward to its operative position shown by full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the wire 19 is stretched and placed under considerable tension to form an efhcient support for the bag as the latter is caught thereby and carried along toward one of the posts 20 and 21. The means for drawing the arm 16 down to its operative position involves a Windlass 22 mounted on the post 1 and provided with an operating crank 23 and also a pawl 24 and ratchet 25 for preventing the Windlass from turning backward. A rope or flexible connection 26 is wound on the Windlass and has its end connected to an eye or clevis 27 attached to the arm 16 near the outer end thereof. The inner end of the arm 16 is bifurcated as shown at 28 and pivotally connected at 29 to the end of a square pin 30 passing through the post 1 and provided with a head 31 at the opposite side of the post. The pin 30 also passes through a square hole 32 in the base 33 of a bracket 34 which extends outward under the stretcher arm 16 and carries a sheave or roller 35 upon which the rope 26 runs when the arm 16 is in its upper position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The bracket 34 is also provided with an upstanding stop 36 against which the arm 16 rests when in its operative position as shown by full lines in Fig. 2.

To each of the posts 20 and 21 is secured a back stop 37 preferably composed of wire and resembling a shallow basket of concavo-convex form in cross section and disposed vertically so as to receive the bag and check the same when it reaches the post to which the back stop 37 is secured. As an additional safe guard to prevent injury to the mail bag, I provide a duplex guard consisting of parallel wires 38 arranged at a suitable distance apart and connected at their opposite ends to the head frames or yokes 39 and 40 secured respectively at 11 and 42 to the posts 1 and 20 or 21 as the case may be. The guard just described checks the swinging movement of the bag. It will be understood that one of such guards is employed and that it may be extended from the post 1 in either direction to the posts 20 or 21 as the case may be and at a suitable distance below the reversely inclined portions of the catcher wire 19.

Nithin the car and adjacent to the door opening thereof is arranged a bag holding skid 43 consisting of a small platform or board hinged at a point adjacent to the door sill as shown at 4 1 and provided at opposite sides with upstanding fender boards 15. Where the car door is of the hinged type, it may serve as one of the fender boards 45 by disposing said door at right angles to the side of the car. Extending under the skid 43 is a crank shaft 46 mounted in suitable bearings 47 fastened to the car floor. At one end the crank shaft is provided with a pedal lever as carrying a pedal 49 adapted to be depressed by the operators foot. Under the skid the shaft 46 is provided with a crank 50 adapted when the pedal 19 is depressed to raise the inner end of the skid and impart the requisite inclination or slope thereto toward the car door opening. Fur thermore, the crank 50 and pedal lever 43 are so relatively disposed that the pedal 19 acts against the floor to limit the movement of the crank 50 and stop the same just be yond the vertical so that said crank acts as a selfsustaining prop for the skid.

The catcher arm 11 is mounted on the rock shaft 51 disposed horizontally across the door opening and mounted to turn in suit able bearings 52 on the door jambs. The shaft 51 is hollow or tubular as illustrated in Fig. 5 and provided with a plurality of slots 53 which are adapted to receive hooks 54 on the base 55 of the catcher arm 11, which base is preferably concavo-convex in cross section to fit snugly against the hollow shaft 51 as shown in Fig. 1. The hooks 54 act as keepers to hold the arm 11 connected to the shaft 51 and they also adapt said arm to be detached from the shaft and reversed or turned end for end and again connected with the shaft. This adapts the catcher to be used in either direction according to the direction in which the train is moving.

The shaft 51 is provided with an operating lever arm 56 preferably provided with a weight 57 at its end so as to normally hold the catcher arm 11 folded as shown in Fig. 1. The shaft 51 is also provided with a crank arm 58 from which a rod 59 extends to another crank arm 60 on a counter-rock shaft 61 mounted in bearings 62 on the jambs and extending just under the car door opening as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The shaft 61 has secured thereto a pair of arms 67 and 68 ar ranged respectively at opposite sides of the door opening and provided with inwardly projecting pins or studs 69 upon which the grapple or snatch hook is adapted to be fastened by means of cotter pins (not shown) passing through holes in the studs 69. This enables the grapple hereinafter described to be secured to the shaft 61 at either side of the door opening according to the direction in which the car is moving.

The grapple or snatch hook comprises a straight main body portion 70, an offset slotted or recurved portion 71 in which is journaled a roller 72, and a terminal safety hook 73 which is arranged opposite the body portion 7 and which extends across the entrance throat leading to the roller 72, the latter having a grooved periphery so as to more effectively engage the catcher wire 19 above described. At a point intermediate its ends, the body portion of the grapple is provided with one or more laterally projecting ears 7 1 by means of which it is pivotally connected to a pin 75 having a tapered end which fits removably into a tapered socket 76 in the end of a pivoted arm 77 adapted to swing into and out of the door opening, the said arm being provided with holes corresponding with the location of the pins 69 above referred to, whereby the arm 77 is adapted to be fastened to either of the arms 67 and 68 on the shaft 61. 7 8 designates a spring secured at 79 to the grapple and passing between the body 70 of the grapple and the adjacent end of the pin 75, said spring 1 serving to hold the body of the grapple 70 at right angles to the pin 75 and also serving to assist in throwing the grapple over the catcher wire when the end portion of the grapple is pressed against the catcher wire in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. 80 designates a chain or flexible connection attached at one end to the pin 75 and provided at the opposite end with a snap hook 81 adapted to engage an eye or ring at one end of the bag which lies on the inclined skid 43.

Just before reaching a station the operator by means of the operating lever arm 56, swings the catcher arm 11 outward to a substantially horizontal position, the grapple or snap hook being at the same time moved outward to the position indicated in Fig. 3, the snap hook 81 being connected to a bag placed on the skid. W hen the catcher arm engages the bag on the holder at the station, the bag is caught by the arm and drawn from the holder, the latter swinging to one side out of the way and being stopped by the pin 15. As the grapple approaches the post 1, the depending end portion of the body rides against the wire 19 which approaches nearer and nearer to the car. Just before reaching the stretcher arm 16, the extremity of the grapple is pressed far enough to cause the spring 78 to throw the grapple entirely over the wire to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3. After passing the stretcher arm 16, the wire 19 operates in connection with the roller '72 to draw the grapple outward away from the car until the pin is drawn out of the socket 76 and in the further movement of the car, the bag is drawn oil the skid and swings down under the catcher wire 19 by which it is thereafter supported. In swinging downward the bag brings up against the guard 38 and finally is brought to a stand still by the back stop 37.

In double track service, the station apparatus may be constructed and arranged as shown in Fig. 7, it being understood that the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 will be duplicated at opposite sides of the double track road.

In order to relieve the shock on the shaft 51 as a bag is caught by the catcher arm 11, shock absorbing cushions 82 preferably in the form of rubber sleeves are placed around said shaft between the bearings 52 and collars 83 on said shaft.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag oil a moving car, and means for stretching and slacking the stretcher wire.

2. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by the catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag 011 a moving car and means for moving a certain portion of said catcher wire toward and away from the track.

3. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag oil a moving car, and a stretcher arm to which the catcher wire is connected adapted to move a certain portion of the wire toward and away from the track.

4. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely -to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag off a moving car, and a stretcher for the catcher wire embodying a movable arm, and means for moving said arm to stretch the wire and hold the same.

5. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag off a moving car, and a stretcher for the catcher wire embodying a movable arm, and a Windlass and rope for moving said arm.

6. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch a bag oil a moving car, and a stretcher for the catcher wire embodying a movable arm, a Windlass and rope for moving said arm, and pawl and ratchet mechanism for holding the arm in stretching position.

7. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag oil a moving car, and a stretcher for the catcher Wire embodying a movable arm, a Windlass and rope for moving said arm, and means for limiting the final operative position of said arm.

8. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to the mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag oil a moving car, and a stretcher for the catcher wire embodying a movable arm, a Windlass and rope for moving said arm, and a guiding sheave over which the rope passes.

9. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising posts arranged at a distance from each other, a catcher wire extending between said posts and set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire which acts to snatch the bag off a moving car, and means on one of said posts for moving the adjacent portion of the wire toward and away from the posts.

10. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus con'iprising a catching wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached. to a mail and to be connected by said catcher wire which acts to snatch a bag off a moving car, and a guard extending under the catcher wire and substantially parallel therewith and acting to check the swinging movement of the bag when suspended from the catcher wire.

11. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire, and a movable holder carried by the car and having the grapple detachably connected therewith so that it may be snatched therefrom by the catcher wire, said grapple embodying a pin which fits removably in a socket in the holder and also having a pivotal connection with said pin.

12. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire, and a movable holder on the car to which the grapple is detachably connected, said grapple embodying a pin which fits in a socket in the holder, a .body having a pivotal connection with said pin, and a spring interposed between the body of the grapple and pin and acting to po sition the body of the grapple relatively to the pin and to assist in rocking the grapple on its pivotal connection.

13. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus com rising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire, and a holder to which the grapple is detachably connected said grapple comprising a body portion, a pin to which the body portion is jointed fitted removably to the holder, a roller to engage the catcher wire, an d a safety hook.

14. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher y ire, and a holder to which the grapple is detachably connected, said grapple comprising a body portion extended. to form an operating arm for engagement with the catcher wire, a pin to which said body is jointed fitting removably arms located at a distance from each other,

and a grapple holder with which the grapple 1s detachably connected, and means for mterchangeably fastening the holder to either of said arms on the rock shaft.

16. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire, a bag supporting skid mounted adjacentto the car door opening and carried by the car, and mechanical adjusting device for raising and supporting the inner end of said skid to give an inclination thereto.

17. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a catcher wire set obliquely to the side of the track, a grapple adapted to be attached to a mail bag and to be engaged by said catcher wire, a bag supporting skid carried by the car, a pedal operated crank shaft for raising and supporting one end of said skid.

18. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a support at the side of the track, a mail bag holder mounted on said support and having a horizontal swinging movement, said holder comprising bag engaging arms, a vertically disposed connecting portion, an arm pivotally mounted on the support and provided with a sleeve, means for adjusting the connecting portions of the arms up and down within said sleeve, and a catcher arm carried by the car.

19. Mail bag catching and delivering apparatus comprising a bag holder situated at one side of the track, and a catcher carried by the car and embodying a tubular rock shaft journaled in bearings at opposite sides of the car door opening, and a reversible catcher arm or fork embodying a base fitting against said shaft and a plurality of hooks projecting from the base and. insertible through openings in the shaft whereby said catcher arm or fork is detachably connected. with the shaft and rendered reversible.

In testimony whereof I ail ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES N. HUTSLER. 

